Pirates complete deal with Reds for Sean Casey

Pittsburgh gave up left-handed pitcher Dave Williams.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Before the winter meetings, Pittsburgh left-hander Dave Williams had a request for his agent.
"I said, 'Hey, let me know when the Pirates pick up a bat,' " Williams said. "Then he came back with, 'You got traded for that bat.' "
And not just any bat.
The Pirates sent Williams to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday for first baseman Sean Casey, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area and is known as "The Mayor" because of his outgoing manner.
Getting traded was one thing. Replacing Casey is something else.
"Hopefully the fans will warm up to me and give me a chance," said Williams, who led the Pirates with 10 wins last season. "To get traded for somebody like that or even be in the same sentence, it's a huge compliment."
Needing pitching to go with one of baseball's most formidable lineups, the Reds gave up one of their most popular players, one who ranked behind only Ken Griffey Jr. in fans' sentiment.
Players pass physicals
The NL Central rivals reached a preliminary agreement on Tuesday, and completed the deal two days later after the players passed physicals.
Casey is owed $8.5 million on the final year on his contract. The Reds agreed to give the Pirates $1 million as part of the deal.
"Sean Casey has been an asset to this organization the last eight years, but if we're going to improve and have a chance in our division, it's going to be about pitching," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said.
The Reds could afford to get rid of a three-time All-Star who hit for average -- .305 career -- but not much power. The 31-year-old first baseman hit .312 last season, but had only nine homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games.
Eliminates outfield logjam
The trade eliminates a logjam in the outfield, allowing the Reds to move Adam Dunn (40 homers, 101 RBIs) to first base so Wily Mo Pena and Austin Kearns have spots in the outfield. It also gives the Reds some help in their weakest area.
They led the league in runs, doubles and homers last season, but their pitching staff finished last in ERA for the first time since 1968. The rotation's ERA was 5.38, also last in the league.
Williams, 26, went was 10-11 with a 4.41 ERA in 25 starts during his first full season in the Pirates' rotation. He didn't win the spot until the final week of spring training.
The left-hander missed more than half of the 2002 season because of shoulder surgery and spent all of 2003 in the minors. He went 10-11 last season with a 4.41 ERA in 25 starts.
"In our minds, he has the necessary profile to pitch in our ballpark," O'Brien said. "He's delighted to come to a team like ours that can score a lot of runs."
Learned more on internet
Williams knew about the Reds' pitching problems, and went on the Internet to get more information about their staff after he was traded.
"We always said whenever we played Cincinnati that if they could get some quality arms there, they could do some things," Williams said, in a phone interview from his home in Georgia. "All of those guys are going to hit their home runs. It's nice to be part of something like that."
The Pirates needed a first baseman, and went after one who grew up in suburban Pittsburgh. Casey was excited after he hit the first home run at PNC Park during the Reds' 8-2 win in April 2001, earning a place Pirates' history.
"He's a local guy. There's a nice twist to that, too," Pirates general manager David Littlefield said. "He's a strong leader and a high character guy, and will be a good fit in our clubhouse with [manager] Jim Tracy."
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